Norwood (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Charles Portis
- First Published: 1966
- Type of Work: Novel
- Genres: Long fiction, Picaresque fiction
- Subjects: 1950’s, United States or Americans, Traveling or travelers, South or Southerners, New York City, Texas, Quest, Buses, Arkansas
- Locales: New York, NY, Texas
Norwood contains the autobiographical elements so often found in a first novel. Norwood Pratt served in the Marine Corps, as did his creator. Norwood lives in Ralph, a little town in the northeastern corner of Texas, only a few miles from the Arkansas line. The protagonist travels to New York City, then returns home, completely unaltered by the many adventures he has had during his odyssey. The novel is set in the late 1950's.
There are many suggestions of Voltaire's Candide (1759) in the story line. Norwood is a lovable, optimistic innocent. He works at a gas station for...
[The entire page is 754 words long]
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